Autumn has always been my favourite season. Nature seems to gather up its glories for one last burst of beauty.  

The beech trees make a golden backdrop for the wedding cake tree – Cornus Controversa Variegata. Cotinus Grace is  starting to turn from chocolate to a glowing red.

Left to right, the wedding cake tree , prunus Kojo no Mai, and Parrotia Persica. Backbone shrubs that stand out in spring and autumn. Summer colour is woven through these plants.

Looking like it’s been varnished – Parrotia is also called the Persian ironwood tree. Its bark is a  beautiful mottled  iron grey.

Summerhouse in the mist. The field-side border contains eucalyptus, magnolia, flower carpet rose, and two matching crataegus prunifolia mop -headed trees  framing  the view. The 1920s summerhouse is on a turntable and facing the ploughed field today. Beyond the summerhouse is a small copse of trees where  a Spotted woodpecker nested this summer. 

My ancestors would have used different words for the seasons. 

Until the 1500s, autumn was called harvest. The word comes from the old Norse word for haust- which means to gather or pluck. 

The French gave us automne. And the Romans gave us the Latin name autumnus. But “autumn”didn’t come into common English usage until the 18th century.  

Cathy at Words and Herbs  Hosts the Tuesday View. Go along and see what’s happening in her garden and feel free to join in with photos of your garden too.